Arrhythmia News and Research

An arrhythmia is a problem with the speed or rhythm of the heartbeat. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or with an irregular rhythm. A heartbeat that is too fast is called tachycardia. A heartbeat that is too slow is called bradycardia. Most arrhythmias are harmless, but some can be serious or even life threatening. When the heart rate is too slow, too fast, or irregular, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body. Lack of blood flow can damage the brain, heart, and other organs.

Fainting spells especially early in the pregnancy could indicate health problems for the mother and baby later says a new study. Earlier short spells of black outs or syncope were considered to be normal during early pregnancy.

Patients with atrial fibrillation or AFib experience chaotic electrical signals in the upper chamber of their heart (atria), which cause an irregular or quivering heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots and heart failure. AFib also is a major cause of stroke and affects 33 million people worldwide.

According to clinical studies, about a third of patients with atrial fibrillation will suffer a stroke during their lifetime. Between 70 and 90% of these strokes are caused by a thrombus formed in the left atrial appendage.

A group of researchers followed up a population of siblings and tried to estimate the connection between stress-related conditions and heart disease. Their study titled “Stress related disorders and risk of cardiovascular disease: population based, sibling controlled cohort study,” was published in the latest issue of the journal BMJ.

Scientists at the University of Navarra (Spain), in collaboration with clinicians from the University Hospital of Donostia, have identified two biomarkers associated with the risk of suffering atrial fibrillation, a cardiac ailment that affects more than 33.5 million people in the world.

Combining a wealth of information derived from previous studies with data from more than 500 patients, an international team led by researchers from Johns Hopkins has developed a computer-based set of rules that more accurately predicts when patients with a rare heart condition might benefit--or not--from lifesaving implanted defibrillators.

Although smart wristbands are popular fashion gadgets for monitoring heart rate and physical activity, they are usually not sophisticated enough to provide specific and accurate information about potential health problems of the wearer.

A day case catheter ablation procedure which includes only the bare essentials and delivers the same outcomes could slash waiting lists for atrial fibrillation patients, according to late-breaking results from the AVATAR-AF trial presented today at EHRA 2019, a European Society of Cardiology congress.

Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia that affects an estimated 30 million people worldwide. New research shows that catheter ablation, a common cardiovascular procedure, appears no more effective than drug therapy to prevent strokes, deaths and other complications in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Low-carb diets are all the rage, but can cutting carbohydrates spell trouble for your heart? People getting a low proportion of their daily calories from carbohydrates such as grains, fruits and starchy vegetables are significantly more likely to develop atrial fibrillation (AFib), the most common heart rhythm disorder, according to a study being presented at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session.

In addition to regulating the body's fluid balance, by excreting greater or smaller amounts of urine, the kidneys also maintain the proper balance of electrolytes (salts) and the pH (an acid-base equilibrium) within our body.

Affecting an estimated one in eight people older than 75, aortic valve stenosis - a narrowing of the heart's main artery - makes the heart work harder to supply the body with blood, potentially limiting patient's activity levels an quality of life. Ultimately, aortic stenosis can lead to stroke, arrhythmia, heart failure and death.

There have been clear statements from regulatory bodies that have increased the pressure on pharmaceutical companies to go electronic with their records and ensure a high level of data integrity in all areas of the pharmaceutical industry.

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